Hey there Matt, thanks for bringing your great question to planDisney! How wonderful that you'll be visiting the "Happiest Place on Earth" with your little Mouseketeer soon!
You have a few great options, and you can choose based on your personal preferences and vacation budget. The first option would be to purchase a
2-Day theme park ticket and add the
Park Hopper option so you can visit both parks on each day that you visit. I always recommend adding the Park Hopper option if your priority is to ride as many attractions as you can. It will allow you to easily move back and forth between the parks after 11:00 AM (pending availability) to enjoy the best attractions in both parks. It will add an additional cost per person, so you'll just want to consider that and factor it into your vacation budget before you make the purchase.
If you are less enthusiastic about riding attractions and prefer to take in the magical atmosphere, dining, and shopping, then I would recommend a 2-Day theme park ticket with the one park per day, and plan on visiting
Disneyland Park one day, and then
Disney California Adventure Park the other day. You can save the money you would have spent on the Park Hopper option for some great souvenirs at the
Emporium on Main Street, U.S.A. or a great table service meal at
Carnation Cafe. Regardless of which ticket option you go with, you'll need to make a corresponding
theme park reservation for each day you plan on visiting the parks.
If you are visiting with a 4 year old Matt, my favorite land to explore would be
Cars Land in Disney California Adventure Park! From the moment you step onto Route 66, you're automatically transported to Radiator Springs just like in the movie! It's so immersive, there are great attractions for all ages,
Mater's Junkyard Jamboree was very popular with our family when my kids were 4. You can also
meet some of your favorite characters from the movies such as Lightning McQueen and Mater in front of the Cozy Cone Motel, the interactions are truly priceless!
I hope this information is helpful for your trip planning Matt! If you think of any other questions, please do not hesitate to come back to planDisney.
Have a magical day!
Melissa